Chapter 2: The Enigmatic Man Who Refuses to Leave

Butler Shen had only said that offhand to appease Gu Ci. Who would have thought she’d ask so directly? Did she really imagine that Madam and Miss would go out of their way to prepare anything for her? Was she even worthy? In fact, Butler Shen was worried that Gu Ci’s belongings might dirty the car he’d driven.

As these thoughts crossed his mind, Butler Shen’s expression turned cold. He dismissed the matter altogether, his tone sharp with mockery. “So, what do you expect? Forgive my bluntness, but if you bring your tattered things to the Gu family and dirty our floors, you’ll be in for trouble. I doubt Miss Gu Ci would want to be despised by Sir and Madam the moment she sets foot home, would she?”

Gu Ci caught every ounce of disdain in his gaze. Her eyes were pale, carrying a trace of cool amusement, as if she were smiling yet not. “If you’re incapable of speaking decently, perhaps someone else should try. Where are my birth parents? Having found their own daughter, do they not bother to see her with their own eyes?”

Butler Shen had assumed Gu Ci would shrink back in wounded pride—after all, she was just a country girl.

“As long as you’ve come to your senses, Miss Gu Ci, I’m only doing this for your benefit… What? You want Sir and Madam to come in person?” Realizing what Gu Ci had said, Butler Shen nearly laughed out loud in disbelief. “Sir and Madam are people of stature. Why would they lower themselves to come to such a rundown place?”

He was about to add another derisive remark when he met Gu Ci’s gaze—her eyes as cold and deep as a mountain pool. An unexplainable chill ran through him, bringing back memories of earlier events.

He hadn’t waited obediently in the village as the chief had advised. Though warned that people lost their way in the mountains and that there was no signal, he’d ignored it and led his men up the slope. But strange things had happened—they lost their bearings halfway up, their phones lost signal, even their compasses spun uselessly. They’d nearly perished before finally making it back down, abandoning any thought of braving the mountain to find Gu Ci, and waited in the village instead.

Now, under the cool weight of Gu Ci’s gaze, he felt cold to the bone, words stuck in his throat.

“Take your time leaving,” Gu Ci shrugged, unbothered by Butler Shen’s obvious contempt, showing not a hint of inferiority.

It was clear she had no intention of leaving with him that day.

Butler Shen, realizing he couldn’t return empty-handed to Sir and Madam, clenched his teeth. “Fine! I’ll wait for you, Miss Gu Ci!”

——————————————————————————————

At the beginning of March, the chill of early spring still lingered over Mount Qihu.

No one would have imagined that deep within the overlapping forests, the valley of Mount Qihu concealed a world of its own.

At its heart lay an oval, pale blue lake, ringed by a riot of unnamed plants in bloom, and dozens of trees exuding deep red sap, encircling the water.

Gu Ci walked at an unhurried pace into the lakeside cabin. Upon seeing the languid figure leaning against the wall inside, her smile faded, her brows knitting together in displeasure.

“You’re still here?”

The man by the wall had porcelain-fair skin and features so exquisitely handsome as to seem almost unreal. His lips curled with lazy, careless charm. His black shirt was only half-buttoned, the open collar revealing a portion of his taut chest. Even the simplest gesture was imbued with an unspoken sense of refinement.

If not for his dangerous beauty, Gu Ci would never have rescued him out of pity seven days ago.

At her words, the man tilted his head, his smile roguish and languid. “I thought I could stay and recuperate a bit longer.”

Gu Ci’s eyelid twitched; her gaze took on a thoughtful seriousness. “If you stay any longer, you’ll turn into a pig.”

No one had ever called him that before.

Rong Ye’s mouth twitched, but he couldn’t help laughing softly, his lazy tone almost provoking. “You’re still so eager to chase me off, little one.”

Gu Ci simply stepped aside, making way for him at the door, her intention clear. “Take care on your way out.”

It was obvious her patience had run out. Rong Ye shrugged, straightened, and stepped in front of her. “Don’t be angry, I’m leaving.”

As he spoke, he drew a silver pendant from his pocket and placed it in Gu Ci’s palm. “If you ever need anything, bring this to Songdu Crown Garden and find me.”

His fingertips brushed hers, and a trace of amusement flickered in his eyes.

Gu Ci merely acknowledged him with a sound, paying no mind to his words. Suppressing the “may we never meet again” that nearly slipped out, she took a small bronze triangle from her pocket. “Follow the direction it points you. Be out of the mountains before eight tonight.”

With that, she turned and walked into the house.

Rong Ye glanced back. At some point, the girl had seated herself at the writing desk, brush in hand, her exquisitely beautiful face never once looking his way. Her pale fingers glimmered in the sunlight, and even the way she wielded her brush was captivating.

Rong Ye smirked softly, his gaze lingering a moment on the red thread around her wrist, then strode off, long legs carrying him down the mountain as Gu Ci had instructed.

Before he reached the foot of the mountain, Rong Ye encountered Qin Yu and the others, who were wandering the slopes, bedraggled and exhausted, their faces drawn with fatigue.

Seeing Rong Ye, Qin Yu’s eyes lit up. He hurried over. “Ye, are you alright?” He looked him up and down, relieved to see him unharmed.

They’d come here to find someone, never expecting to be ambushed. Not only had Rong Ye been injured, but they’d been separated. If anything had happened to him, Qin Yu couldn’t imagine what the old Master Rong back in the capital would do to him.

So seeing Rong Ye safe, Qin Yu was overjoyed.

But soon, Qin Yu’s face fell again. He hesitated, barely daring to meet Rong Ye’s eyes. “Ye, I have bad news. We’ve been lost for days.”

Rong Ye raised a brow, still relaxed. “Oh?”

Qin Yu couldn’t help venting. “Ye, what the hell is this place? There’s no signal, and even your private satellite tracker seemed blocked. We’ve been wandering in circles for days! Ye, did you get lost too?”

Thinking back to his days at the little one’s house, Rong Ye’s eyes flickered. Faced with Qin Yu’s expectant gaze, he answered with an untroubled “Mm,” then changed the subject. “I know the way out. Let’s go.”

Qin Yu was ecstatic, his admiration for Rong Ye growing even deeper.

——————————————————————————————

The next day, Gu Ci appeared before Butler Shen with a small bag slung over her shoulder, dressed as simply as ever.

Butler Shen was already seated in the car. He shot Gu Ci a sidelong glance and sneered. He’d assumed she was gathering her belongings, but she’d only brought a small bag, obviously just to make things difficult for him yesterday!

So young, yet already so scheming and intolerant. Once she joined the Gu family, who knew how she’d torment Miss Zhiren!

Thinking he’d seen right through Gu Ci, Butler Shen spoke with a cold laugh. “Did you not say you were going to collect your things, Miss Gu Ci? I wonder what treasures warranted you climbing the mountain yourself. Why not show me and broaden my horizons?”